Combination-action fob oboans



J. W. STARKIE AND C. E. CLINTON.

COMBINATION ACTION FOR ORGANS. APPLICATION m50/OCT. H, 1915.

Patented N 0V. 30, 1920.'

3 SHEETS*SHEET l.

I. W. STARKIE AND C. E. CLINTON.

COMBINATION ACTION FOR OBGANS.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. I7, IQIs.

1 ,360,695. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2L I. W. STARKIE AND C. E. CLINTON.

COMBINATION ACTION FOR ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I7. I9I6.

l ,360,695. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- M L INVENTORS BY Mam M*t m Q/ ATTORNEY UNITED s'rATvss PATENT oFFlc.

JOHN W.- BTARXIE, 0F EAST ELHHUBST, AND CHARLES E. CLINTON, 0F CORONA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOES T0 THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

COIBINATION-ACTION FOB OBGANS.

vented certain new and useful lmprove.

ments in (ombination-Actions for Organs, ol which the following is a specification.

Our present invention has for one of its objects an automatic. organ wherein the devices are such that both the notes and the stops are automatically played and operated from the music-sheet and whereinthe same music-sheet will play all sizes of organs. whether there be few or many stops, and will play each to its full advantage.-our present invention including the devices and combination of means whereby the foregoing object is accomplished. Further objects and advantages of our invention and the devices by which they are accomplished will be apparent to those skilled in the art from an l-unlerstanding of the following description in connection with the drawings.

In :he drawings, showing only one of the specific embodiments our invention is adapted to take, Figure 1 is a strictly diagrammatic or conventional showing of the various apparatus embodying our invention; Fig. 1l is a diagrammatic plan View of the stop combination box 38 particularly to show the relationship between the electrical contacts; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the corresponding parts 37 and38 in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2- in Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofone of the stop boxes 2 in Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 re spectively in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Describing now the specific devices of the drawings, A, B, C, D, etc., inclusive, designate stops, of which there may be any desired or preferred number, dependent on the size of the organ and each stop may com prise the usual number of pipes 1, or sounding devices, for example sixty-one. Each stop comprises a box 2, divided by two longitudinal partitions 3 and 4, into a stopval ve chamber 5, a pipe-chest 6 and a valvechest 7. 5 and 7 always contain air under speeiloat'ion of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 30, 1920.

Apyllltien Iled 061701,61' 17, 1918. Serial N. 120,113.

greater than atmospheric pressure. 8 is a port connecting 5 and normall closed bv valve t), which latter is opener whenever pneumatic 1() iscollapscd, said pneumatic being collapsed whenever the magnet l1 is energized, because then its armature-valve 12 is lifted off its seat. thereby connecting the pouch 13 with the atmosphere through the port 14. Ordinarily said )ouch contains air under pressurebecause o its bleed-connection 15 with the chamber 5, which keeps said pouch normally expanded, as shown, with itsJ valve 16 in its down position, closing the port 17 against the ingress of atmospheric air into the pneumatic 10, and opening the port 18 so as to connect-said pneumatic with the pressure in-chamber 5; `the result being that said pneumatic, having air of the same pressure within and without. remains inert in its open position as shown, with the valve 9 normally closed as aforesaid. \Vhenever, however, the magnet 11 is energized, it connectsthe pouch 13 with the atmosphere, as above explained,.so that the superior pressure in chamber 5 collapses said pouch 13 and lifts the valve 16 against vits upper port 18. This in turn connects the y l interior of the pneumatic 10 with the atmosphere through the port 17. so that the s11- perior pressure in 5 also collapses said pneumatic 10, opens the valve 9. and delivers the compressed air from the chamber 5 into the pipe-chest 6. In short, as long as the magnet 11 remains energized the pipe-chest 6 is full of compressed air, ready to sound any of its pipes 1 as soon as t e valve-means controlling same `is operated.

Each pipe 1 is connected by a passage 19 with the pipe-chest 6, the mouth of each passage being kept normally closed by a valve 2() on a stem 21, pivotally supported at 22, and connected at its other end wlth a pouch 23, each pouch 23 having operatively connected with it a magnet 24, a pouch 25 and a valve 26. v

It will be seen from Fig. 3, that the relationship between these is such that whenever a 4magnet 24 is energized it attracts its valve armature 31, thereby venting the compressed air in pouch 25 to theatmosphere through the port 32, whereupon said pouch collapses, lifting the valve 26'and venting he compressed air in pouch 23 to the atmosphere through the port 33, whereupon said pouch 23 also collapses and through the valve-stem 2l opens the valve 2() of the particular pipe belonging to the particular magnet 24. and said pipe will sound` if the stop-valve 9 is open to admit the air from the chamber 5 into the pipe-chest G.

There are as many magnets 24 as there are pipes l in each stop, each magnet in turn being connected with a note-duct 2T in the tracker-bar 23, through a pair of pneumatic-electric contacts 29. Such contacts may be of any well-known construction so4 that it suffices to say that whenever a note perforation in the music-sheet 30 uncovers a corresponding tracker-duct 27` this` acts on the corresponding contacts 29 to close them and keep them closed until the note-perforation has passed and the music-sheet again closes the tracker-duct, whereupon the pneumatic contacts 29 automatically open and disrupt the particular electrical circuit of which they form a part.

Assuming that there are sixty-one note ducts 27 in the tracker-bar, and sixty-one pipes or sounding-devices constituting the musical scale in each of the stops A, B, C, D, etc., then there will be sixty-one electromagnets 24 in the valve-chest of each stopbox 2, viz., one magnet for each pipe thereof. Further, it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the First pair of tracker-board contacts 29 is electrically connected inmultiple with the first electro-magnet 24 of each and all of the stops A, B, C, D, etc.; and the second pair of contacts with the second magnet 24 of each and all of the said stops; and so on for all of the contacts 29 and the magnets 24. The result is that when any given tracker-duct is opened up by a note-*perforation in the music-sheet, the closing of its pair of contacts energizes the corresponding electro-magnet 24, not only in one stop, but in all of them alike, so that the corresponding pipe in all of said stops is made ready to sound and one or more of them will sound if the valves 9 of their stops have been opened as above explained.

By the usev of means automatically controlled from a stop-perforation 34a, 34b or 34, etc., in the music-sheet, said means including what we may call combinationboxes 38, 38, 38, etc., we will now describe how any number of stops A, B, C,.D, etc., in any desired combination, can be thrown into operation by opening their valves 9, as aforesaid, so that particular pipes of those stops will sound belonging to the musicperforations which thereafter travel across the tracker-bar; and said particular combination of stops will continue to sound as whereupon said combination of stops is automatically released until restored by the occurrence of another perforation 34, 34", 34, etc.

The diagram in Fig. 1 shows only three rows or lines of stop-controlling perforations 34a, 34h, 34, etc.` but in practice there will be more, so as to bring into play all of the usual or preferred single stops and combinations of stops.

Describing now the particular means illustrated embodying this part of our invention. the extra ducts of the tracker-bar that correspond with the stop-perforations 34, 34". 34. etc., in the music-sheet, operate pneumato electrical contacts 36, etc.` which may be in all respects like thecontacts 29 controlled by the note-perforations. Said contacts 36a, etc., are connected respectively with valve-boxes 37, 37b, 37; and each of these in turn is connected with astop combination box 38, 3S", 38, etc.; and finally. each of these combination boxes is connected with one or more otl the stops A, B, C, etc.. in any desired combination thereof.

lt now remains to describe the aforesaid valve-boxes and combination boxes. Each of the former consists of a box containing air under more than atmospheric pressure. 39 is an electromagnet in circuit with one pair of contacts 3G", 3G", 36, etc. lVhenever these contacts are closed, even momentarily, as by the passing of a short perforation 34. 34?, 34, etc., across the tracker-bar, the given magnet 39 lifts its armature valve 40, connects the interior of the pneumatic 41 with the atmosphere through the port 42, with the result that said pneumatic momentarily collapses, but immediately expands after said short perforation 34, 34", 34, etc., has passedby, because then the contacts 3G. 36", 36, etc., are open and the magnet 39 deenergized, so that the armature valve 4() drops, covering the port 42, but uncovering the port 43, whereby the pneumatic 41 is reconnected with the air pressure in the box and a spring 44 thereupon expands the pneumatic.

45 designates a double valve on a stem 46, said valve controlling the ports 48, 49, respectively connecting the pneumatic 47 in the several combination boxes 38, 38", 38, etc., either with the compressed air in the given valve box 37, 37b, 37, etc., or with the atmosphere. Then the music-sheet perforation 34, (34, 34, etc.) momentaril collapses the pneumatic 41, as aforesai means next to be described, which is intel'- mediate said pneumatic and the valve 45, will move said valve into its up-position and leave it there, until another perforation 35", (35h, 35, etc.), in line with the 'ven first perforation, again momentarily colapses the pneumatic 41, which thereupon, acting through said intermediate means, will move the valve 45 into its down oration 34", (34",

34, ete), occursl in line with the previouslv` acting perforation, whereupon the valve will be again lifted, and so on.

This intermediate means comprises a thin, flat member 50 of the shape shown, .tiltable about a pivot 51, the front edge of said member having a point, whose inclined sides lead to a pair of recesses 53. 54 is a push- -rod, pivoted at one end to the movable board 41, and slidably suplmrtcd at its free end in a vertically-yielding support or guide 55 (see Fig. 2*), so that the end vof the pushrod will stl-ikea lrainst one or the other of the y inclined sides omthe member 50, .depending on which way it `was left when last tilted by a momentary collapse of pneumatic 41, and reaching one of the recesses 53 will correspondingly tilt the member 50. Finally, 57 is a link, connecting the member 5() with the stem of the valves 45, said link raising or lowering said valves depending on which of its two ,tilted positions thel member 5() may happen to occupy. A saring 58 tends to lift the valves 45, and oes so and maintains them in that position with the port 4%) closed and the port 48 open, whenever the push-rod 54 has momentarily pushed the upper end of the member 50 to the right. l owever, this spring is overcome and the valves 45 are lowered,- when the next momentary collapse of the pneumatic 41 has pushed the lower end ofthemember 50 to the right, because the link 57 is then put on a straight line or dead-center with the valve stem 46.

Describing now the combination boxes, each of the-m consists of a box 38, 38", 38", etc., containing greater than atmospheri(l plessure. Further, eachy contains a pneumatic 47, connected by a tube 59 `with the corresponding valve-box 37, 37", or 37, etc. 60-60 are a plurality of wires, supported stationarily at their r1ght hand ends 60, on the under-sideof a statlonary block 61 Within the box; and together constitute a set of electrical contacts. The wires are of springy metal so that when their free ends are bent away from the block 61 and released, they spring back against it. 62 is a comb made of insulating material secured to one end of the block 61,'with its teeth 63 projecting downwardly, and with wires 60 located severally in the spaces between said teeth. The ends of the teeth are notched so that any number of' the wires can be bent downwardly and located in said notches. As will later appear, this is the inactive position of said wires, whereas theactive Wires are those remaining in the spaces between the teeth of the comb. 64 is a single electrical contact, consisting of a wire 64 carried by the movable board of the pneumatic 47, said Wire being bent so that its free end 64EL is located transversely across all of the wires 60, said free end G4 being brought into contact with all the active onesv of said wires, whenever the pneumatic 47 is collapsed.

'lhe single contact 64 offeach combination box is connected to thev current source,

and thence to one terminal of the electromagnet 11 in any one or more of the stopboxes A, B, C, l), etc., the other terminals of said magnets heilig eonnected'with the corresponding number of wires`60. Assum ing, for example, that all of the wires 6() in the stop combination box 38 have been: located in the notches on the ends of the comb-teeth, except three wires, which are left in active position in the spaces between the teeth; and assume that these three wires and the simple or common contact 64,'have been electrically connected respectively with the magnets 11 in stops A, ll and D-the result will be that whenever thepneumatic 47 in said combination box collapses, it will close the circuits through said. magnets in said stops, and accordingly, as previously set forth, these particular ones will be rendered operative and any music perforations crossing the tracker at this time will sound on this particular combination of stops' A, B, and D, which in an actual organ, for example, may consist of a flute, oboe and saxophonc,-or if the particular organ with which our apparatus is installed does not possess these particulars stops, (for example, it may lack the saxophone), then the next best similar. or equivalent stop that it does possess may be substituted. Similarly, all the stop combination boxes will bo connected up with the stops in the given organ, both singly and in various desirable combinations, so that the stop-perforations 34, 34", 34', etc., in the music-sheet Will automatically operate said stops and combinations of stops.

be seen that whenever a stop-perforation 34, l

34", 34, etc., crosses the tracker, the resulting momentarycollapse of the pneumatic 41 in the related valve box 37, operates the valves 45 into 4their downposition, in which they stay until a perforation 35l appears and by another momentary collapse of 41 lifts the. valves 45. During'this interval between the two perforations 34 and 35, the pneumatic 47 in its related combination box is .vented to atmosphere through the part 49 and accordingly said pneumatic remains collapsed during said interval with its contact 64l in contact with the active wires GO of the set of contacts, with the result that all of the stops A, B, etc., will be on and ready to sound which were connected to said active wires or contacts 60 in the particular organ at the time our devices were installed.

It follows that the same music will play all sizes of organs equipped with our improvements, to the full extent and regardless of the number and kind of stops they respectively may happen to possess. Thus the music (along with the tracker bar) will be arranged, for example, with the intention that the music perforations 34 will throw on the stops A, B and D (the perforations 35a releasing them), but if the particularv organ is a particularly large one, or is particularly rich in stops of this kind, theseadditional stops will be connected, when our apparatus is installed, to further wires in the combination box belonging to the sheet perforations 34a. In the same way, if the particular organ lacks the stops B and D. then the stop A only will be connected, together with any other stop or stops the organ may contain, which can be substituted for B and D. The same stops may be and often will be connected in one combination through one combination box and in other combinations witli other stops through other combination boxes.

What we claim is:

l. An automatic organ having a trackerboard; a music-sheet coperating therewith having note-perforations and perforations relating to the stops; stops severally comprising a plurality of sounding-devices operatively connected with the tracker-board to be sounded from the note-perforations in the music-sheet; and a plurality of stop combination means, each comprising a single electrical contact and a set of electrical contacts adapted to be opened and closed from related stop perforations in the music-sheet, individual contacts of said set being operatively connected with individual stops and being selectively adjustable into operative and inoperative positions relatively to said single contact.

2. An automatic organ having a trackerboard; a music-sheet coperating therewith having note-perforations and perforations relating to the stops; stops severally com prising a plurality of sounding-devices operatively connected with the tracker-board to be sounded from the note-perforations in the'music-sheet; and a plurality of stop combination means, each com rising a single electrical contact and a set ot) electrical contacts adapted to be opened and closed from related stop perforations in the music-sheet.I individual contacts of said set being operatively connected with individual stops; and each stop combination means further comprising means for rendering operative or inoperative the individual contacts of its set of contacts.

3. An automatic organ having a trackerboard; amusic-sheet coperating therewith having note-perforations and perforations relating to the stops; stops severally comprising a plurality of sounding-devices 0peratively connected with the tracker-board to be sounded from the note-perforations in the music-sheet; and a pluralityof stop combination means, each comprising co-acting electrical contacts opened and closed from related stop-perforations in the music-sheet; and means for selectively connecting the stops in circuit with said contacts to operate said stops from said contacts.

In testimony whereof We aHiX our signatures.

JOHN W. STARKIE. CHARLES E. CLINTON. 

